When it comes to culture, religion and tradition there is quite a lot to attract the curious visitor to Saudi Arabia in general, but because of the country’s culture and religious laws there is hardly any nightlife. In fact it would be true to say that there is no night life as westerners would know it. There are no bars and nightclubs and you cannot buy alcohol at all. Even with a meal, you cannot buy a glass of wine.
Cinemas, or picture theatres as they are called in Saudi, are also banned in this Islamic country so you cannot decide to go out and see the latest film. There are a few public theatres in places like Dhahran but all that is on offer there is local art and Arabic music.
However, when it comes to spending an evening in a restaurant there is lots of choice and you can opt for a number of different international cuisines. McDonald’s and KFC also have restaurants here, so if you prefer fast food, you won’t be disappointed. There are also a number of coffee shops including Starbucks and Cinnabon to satisfy the coffee addicts.
Another evening entertainment is shopping and there are a number of western style malls to browse through, or you can take a look at the bazaars. The Al-Rashid mall has six main department stores and a huge collection of 600 shops selling everything from expensive, top of the market design jewellery such as Tiffany, to more affordable everyday items like lingerie from La Senza. This is certainly a great way to spend an evening.